This invention relates to a device for the inward and/or outward transfer of material, which is conveyed at an angle into a conveyor section with a continuous belt. The continuous belt is guided, by a drive, around an airlock section with a guide section. The airlock section has a rectangular end area and an acute-angle end area.
A belt conveyor with an inward and outward transfer device is shown in European Patent 0 678 464 B1. The conveyed material is sent to a conveyor section. An end area of the belt conveyor is designed with an acute angle. For example, a 45xc2x0 or 30xc2x0 angle to the direction of travel is formed, so that the belt conveyor or the device for supplying the conveyed material can be applied to the main conveyor section at an angle different from 90xc2x0. The part of the device over which the material is transported is referred to as the airlock section. The second part of the device over which the continuous belt is guided is referred to as the guide section.
In European Patent 0 678 464 B1, referring to a guide roller, also referred to as a back-up roller, is provided as well as a driving drum. The guide roller guides the lower strand of the conveyor belt without belt tension so that the belt is wrapped more than 180xc2x0 around the driving drum. At the start of rotation of the driving drum, a very high traction can develop without having to apply a belt tension which would lead to an unwanted increase in friction.
The object of the present invention is to create a device for inward and/or outward transfer of material conveyed at an angle. Another object of the invention is to create a device that is especially simple to maintain.
According to this invention, a guide element of the acute-angle end area of the airlock section is detachable on at least one side. The guide element is preferably detachable so that the continuous belt can be relaxed or removed. This greatly facilitates maintenance of the device and replacement of a damaged continuous belt.
The guide element is pivotable about its end mount so that it can be pivoted over the entire length. The guide element is preferably pivoted in the direction of the airlock section, in particular the rectangular end area. It is also preferably pivotally attached at the side of the acute-angle end area which is in proximity to the guide section. This permits the guide element to detach on the side of the acute-angle end area, opposite the guide section and pivot toward the airlock section. The continuous belt can be released easily when the guide element is pivoted far enough so that the continuous belt can be removed or pushed off. Two guide elements arranged in parallel are preferably pivotable. In this arrangement the upper strand of the conveyor belt is guided about the upper guide element and the lower strand is guided about the lower guide element.
The guide element is preferably designed with a circular cross section, although other designs such as an octagonal or a hexagonal cross section would also be favorable in many cases.
The drive is preferably arranged in proximity to the rectangular end area of the airlock section. Therefore, the drive elements are arranged at a distance from the guide element, so that the guide element may be pivotable in the manner described above without having any negative effect on the drive or the stability of the drive. The drive is preferably designed so that a back-up roller, in proximity to a driving drum, is pivotable about the driving drum, and the back-up roller is acted upon by a certain force to create a defined belt tension. This is preferably accomplished with the aid of a spring. It is also possible to use a pneumatically operated device or a device that pushes the back-up roller downward and against the belt to produce a defined belt tension.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which disclose two embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.